Turnbull challenged by populist upstart

Malcolm Turnbull, leader of the Liberal Party, is set to lose a key member of his senate this week

AP

Bernard Lagan, Australia

Tuesday February 07 2017, 12.00am, The Times

Malcolm Turnbull’s grip on power as Australia’s prime minister is expected to be shaken on Tuesday when a maverick in his government defects to form a right-wing populist party.

Inspired by President Trump’s election, Cory Bernardi, 47, a member of the Senate, is set to resign from the centre-right Liberal Party to form the new movement.

The defection will not threaten the government’s clear Senate majority but Mr Turnbull cannot afford to lose any of his MPs in the 150-seat lower chamber, where he has only a single-seat majority.

As parliament reopens after the summer recess Mr Turnbull needs to convince his MPs that he can lift the government’s ratings. A Newspoll survey shows that its support has fallen to its lowest level since Mr